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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · bank · date · mug · safe · charge · cap · degree

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bank — for money
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cap — of ice
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. degree — temperature
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. cap — a lid
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — a cup
  14. charge — a price
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. degree — an amount
  17. charge — in control
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bank — for money
  20. mug — to rob
  21. date — the fruit
  22. degree — from a university
  23. cap — a hat
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com